Reptiles

[memento1]

It was so hot today. Yahoo refuses to admit it went above 90, but truthfully it was over 100 in the sun, and 116 according to the thermometer in front of the Reptiles room (which, admittedly, fully faces the sun). Also in front of the Reptiles Room is the outdoor enclosure of Howie, the Prehensile-Tailed Skink. He spends the day out in the enclosure and is brought in at 4 when we close the zoo. Well, as I am learning how to take over Reptiles for next week, I was helping the second-year leads close up and we went to go get Howie. He was dead. The leads quickly brought him inside and doused him in cool water, but it was too late. He had been seen alive half an hour before, and I had seen him myself a half hour before that, on my rounds. It was just that stinkin' hot. Of course, no one really knows how old Howie was, so he might have been approaching his time, but the heat probably didn't help. I didn't really know Howie, but the Reptile Managers I've been following, and whom I look up to, were rather upset and it was just very sad to watch. :(

Comments

[kira-iras.livejournal.com]

Oh, I didn't know you work in a zoo :)

[memento1.livejournal.com]

Yup! Actually it's a college for learning how to care for exotic animals, but it opens to the public on the weekends just like a normal zoo. I'm loving it!

[arid-hugs.livejournal.com]

Aw! I'm sorry about Howie :(

[memento1.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Not that I really knew him, but it was sad.

BTW, that icon is so cute! And very pretty, too ;)